Computed tomography (CT) imaging systems are in wide use today. The CT systems include a gantry that has a frame which rotates in order to create a 360° image. The gantry frame includes an x-ray tube as well as a cooling system to control the temperature of the x-ray tube. The cooling system typically employs a liquid-to-air heat exchanger to remove heat from the x-ray tube during operation. The cooling system also typically includes one or more fans that are used to draw air through the heat exchanger and exhaust heated air from the gantry.
The size and surface area of the heat exchanger required in a particular application is partly a function of the power to be dissipated, and the temperature of the ambient air sent through the heat exchanger. On high power CT systems, the ambient air temperature in combination with the higher power requirements often makes the packaging difficult for large heat exchangers.
Also, when larger heat exchangers have been utilized, the axis of rotation of the fans have not been parallel to the axis of rotation of the gantry, which leads to geoscopic loading. The fans are more reliable when their rotation axis is parallel to the gantry axis.
It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a heat exchanger with a larger surface area for cooling and still be confined in the space requirements of the gantry. It also would be desirable to have a larger area heat exchanger and maintain the fan axis of rotation parallel to the gantry axis of rotation.